The large drive test center, set to open during spring 2020, will be capable of testing drives up to 15 MW from the start, with an advanced assembly line and lifting capacity of up to 80 tons. It will be one of the largest renewable energy test centers in the world, helping The Switch satisfy growing market demand for increasingly powerful drive train technology.

“Renewable energy can be the real alternative in solving the energy problems of the future,” comments Jukka-Pekka Mäkinen, CEO of Yaskawa Environmental Energy / The Switch. “With this facility, we can make possible, from our part, ever-bigger wind turbines, while saving energy for the ships of the world, saving fuel and reducing emissions. Our new test center will play a vital role in that development.”

Construction of the center began in May 2019. It is expected to generate employment for an additional 10 to 15 people. This featured video reveals the vision and drive behind the project, detailing the importance of the center to the special industries, the company’s ambitious business strategy and the wider Lappeenranta area.

VIDEO - see the new facility take shape here